Floor cleaner



Aug. 20, 1935. w. s. JOHNSON FLOOR CLEANER Filed Feb. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

H 2 Z a a 2 a 2 \m & a a

D 23:... JYWQ/YVM 14/. 5. JOHN ON Aug. 20, 1935. w. s. JOHNSON 2,011,973

FLOOR CLEANER Filed Feb. 20, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WM; I

Patented Aug. 20; 1935 V Ap'plicaition Febtuar-y' w io cialims. (01.15 231) I *Figure h us a, f transvereseetmn tti1ten" 't?nline i v My invention? relates to cleaningcrevices.

'Animportant object of the invention-is to'prcvide a "device *of {the above"-m'enti'oned. "character, which -maly 'be used font-leaning hard "or nishedy painted onenamelecl, linol'eums; or other similar floor-coverings, and also =fioors of tile,

marble; cement; and: other har'dsurfgces.

" mg the device over in the hand, bringing" the top suffaceofthe cleaning element in' contact with A*further' object of the invention' is to provide a. device of the' above-mentioned "character, so constructed that an effective application of the cleaning-element i's'obtain'ed with"w ide"part "or face contact" to surface being cleaned, Icy flexing thehollow core. H Afurther Object j of the invention is to, provide adevice of the above menti'onedwharactfli which the handle may be adjusted to variousfraldialr 'mayf'be efie'ctively'used; inany position wherein positions. v

A"further obj ecto'f the invention is "to' provide a cleaner of the, aleove-me 2ntioned character which maybe employe'dffor-sweepin'g,"a;nd mope ping'the ilobrsQfor removing dirt; hair, or similar substances-which cli'ng to thelsuffeceof]the.1ea.ning, element which may belsubsequerith easily removed therefrom by the use of a whi sk broom I Aiurtherg'objeet of the-inventionr-is toeprotf ide a cleaning element which will-absorb fine parg ticles ofdust by the vacuumactionof thegpores ing description.

liIn th'e accompanying drawings, forming al part of this specification,;and in -which like numerals ar'efemploye'd 'ito 'fiesignate l ikei parts tkimughcut the same,

'Figurei is a p15n -view rif e; elnning-"device embod-'ymg my invention, the cleaning-clement 3 being removed'anclthe hldihgrhmerfitsflmthe open position,

, 1 933, Sei'il No. 657, 710

' FigureEris a,*similar -tiew ttken on iine I cleaning element applied theretorand the holh ingelements in thewpen position, V

Figure 7 is a)transverse sectiontaken oniline Figure 11"ise,transverse"sectiontatken an i-me the flexed positions cf theHeVice, and

Figure 1c is a'diagramnfeticfviewfillustrtihg 'Figurefl' ish' a. detail -sect-icn-"through the knucklejtaken 011 1111 1141 "v f Ffig'ure l; i

I In the drawings, *whefein for the purpose f illustration is shown' a prferrewembouiment of my invention, the numeral I 5flesigndt l 2'5 vided "at 'its -forward side "with aflongitiidifil metal, I or the like. Th'e nee-1' so comprises two 55 attached 'therto by any "suitable means, 'suh as "cement, *or the like, At "their forwalrd' 'edg'es "the sections "2' l are bent in'welfdly, raming-ner- .416:

many StraightStrips 22 arranged "in ihfitalfiifg relation, and hatinfth'eirfiear *ecYges-iextenhing The urrreral 2 3 ilesigndtes' helding element her ends ofit'hese fer-tensions being pwetsuy 'friountewwithin *knu'okles i1,---att a;heh to the 'en larged portion [1 of the head l5, at the convex faces I8 thereof, as shown. Each holding element 23 carries a clamping element or rail 28, in the form of a channel, and is thereby U shaped in cross-section, with its open side arranged inwardly. The rail or channel is provided in its opposite sides with apertures for slidably re ceiving the ends 25, whereby the rail is shiftable transversely with respect to the holding elemenm, p -i Means-are provided: to holdthe elements 24in the closed 'position,comprising transverse plates 29, provided at its opposite ends with upstanding curved lips 30. The transverse plates are mount ed upon spacing elements 3|, whichin turn,pare carried by lower transverse plates 32, the. entire unit being attached to the head l5 by a screw 33, or the like. Thelower plates 32 ,prpjectbeyond the sidesof the head 15, for a substantial distance, as shown. Meansare provided to connect. a handle vith the head l5, comprising a pair of spaced plates "34, having plates or.-bases,35 attached to their lower ends, and these plates 35 project beyond the opposite facesofthe. head 15, for asubstan Jtial distance, as more clearly shown in Figure 5. The plates or bases 35 are rigidly attached to'lthe headlS. by screws 36', or the like.

I knuckles 3 L By"proper"manipulati0n of the winged nut42,,the handle .38 may be locked to the h ead 15in a selected adjusted angular posi tion,,or the handle mayhavefree swinging pivotal connection. The plates or knuckles 34 have (their edgesv converging rearwardly and these edges hav notches liltoreceive the sides 24" of the holding elements.

The numeral Q45 designates cleaning element sections, which, when "assembled, produce 'a cleaningelement carried upon ,the core 2!} This cleaning: element maybe formed of: sponge rubsenor, other 'suitable material. Each cleaning :element'ispref erablya square,.and this enables the sameto be mounted fourlways upon the core,

' for increasing capacity and longer life.

In applyingv the cleaning elementstdthe core :20,- both holding elements 23 being in ,the open position, at substantially a right angie" to .their closedgposition, when cleaning element section 45 has its end presented. to. theholding element 23, :the outer corner of thecleaning element ,;is pulledthroug'h. the .u-shaped extension 2G, the entire end of the cleaningleleinent.being then passed into the holding element' and beneath the clamping rail 28, whichhas' previously been shifted to' the outer. 'position' The pbmpamon cleaning element section is placed in position in a similar manner', andwhen'the two cleaning ele ment sections have been properly assembled upon thecore 2|, in substantialalignrnerit ,WithQeach otheri, the rail v28, being shifted to thefinnei? po.-. sition, the holding elem'ent 2 3 "is .now swing; in wardly brin ging the; clamping, rail 28, into'holding engagement with the end portionsbf the ,cleamingelements, Figures 1-1 and 12 When the holding element is swung-.inwardl hesideq?! h ride .Q QPI E upwa dly.-. 1ir@i ir-PIQ-% normally held in a corresponding shape. ever, when it is desired to increase the area of jecting lips 30, and will spring in behind them, the intermediate portion of the side 24 engaging within the notches 44. In a similar manner, the opposite ends of the cleaning elements 45 are arranged Within the holding element and clamped thereto upon the head l5. When it is desired to remove the cleaning element sections, the side24 of the holding element is sprung inwardly and upwardly to clear the locking ribs 30, when the holding element may be swung outwardly.

I With'lthe cleaning element sections assembled upon the resilient core 20, such cleaning elements may be properly moved or rubbed over the surfaces to be cleaned. The core 20 being normally cylindrical, the cleaning element sections will be Howcontact between the cleaning element sections and thesurface to be cleaned, pressure is exerted upon the handle 38, which pressure is transmitted to the; resilient core zdcausing this core to be'flexed and thereby have the contact portion thereof flattened. Th'e strips 22 may flex in either direction, depending po the application of pressure aslshown in Figure 13. Fur- ,theyare covered and prevented from contacting withfurniture, .oiwthe' like. These extensions also-permit of the head I5 being shortened, there by allowing the cleaning element sections to project longitudinally beyond the samefor a substantial" distance, keeping the head from contacting with objects. 7 The cleaning element is preferably formed in two sections, but theinventi'o'n'is in' no sense restricted to this feature. By. employing the cleaning element sections, they may be more conveniently manipulated and readily reversed so that their opposite faces may be It isto' be understoodth'at the form of my in"- yention herewith shown and'described is to be taken as a 'preferred example of the same, and that various changes inthe'shape; size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofmy invention, or the scope of the subjoined' claims.

Having fullydescribed my invention, what I 'claimas new is:f-

-1. :A cleaning device "comprising ahead provided with a. groove,-a hollow resilient core' emsponding ends attached to the head at-opposite sides of the. groove and its opposite ends bent inwardly-to produce. sheets having their free edges held within the groove, a cleaning element 'mounte'd upon the core, andmeans to hold the cleaning. element upon the core. 1 is .2, A cleaning; device comprising. a head having convex faces arranged upon opposite sides of theghead,asubstantially cylindrical core probodying sec'tions, said sections having correvided with longitudinal edge portionsand having I plate, and plates securedto the head at its rear edge and upon opposite sides of the first-named shaped resilient holding elements arranged upon opposite sides of the head and pivoted thereto and having means for engagement with the cleaning element when the holding elements are swung rearwardly to a position substantially par allel with said faces, and plates disposed near the rear edge of the head and secured to the head and having locking extensions for detachable" engagement with the holding elements when the holding elements are swung to the rear position.

4.'A cleaning device comprising an elongated head having oppositely arranged side faces, a cleaning element carried bythe head and having edges, generally U-shaped holding elements disposed upon opposite sides of ,the head and adapted to be swung to a rear closed position, each holding element embodying a side and ends, said ends having U-shaped extensions to; receive the edges of the cleaning element, said extensions being pivotally connected with the head and extending longitudinally beyond the same, the holding elements being adapted to engage with the cleaning elementand hold the cleaningelement against the oppositely arranged faces of the head when the holding elements are swung to engaging the faces and having edges, generally U-shaped holding elements disposed upon opposite sides of the head, each holding element embodying a side and ends, said ends having U- shaped extensions to receive the side edges of the cleaning element, said extensions being pivotally connected with the head, the holding elements being adapted to engage with the clean ing element when the holding elements are shifted rearwardly to a position substantially parallel with the faces, an attaching plate arranged at the rear edge of the head and secured to the head between its ends, means for pivotally connecting a handle with the attaching plate and having upstanding locking extensions,

' the sides of the, holding elements being adapted toengage with the upstanding extensions and,

with theattaching plate.

'6. A-cleaning device comprising an elongated head having oppositely arranged side faces, a

core carried by the head andprojecting forward 1y beyond such faces, cleaning elementsections mounted upon the core and having theirends engaging the oppositely arranged faces, genernected therewith and having U-shaped extenelement upon the core.

sions to receive the side edges of the cleaning element sections, said holding elements being shiftable rearwardly to a closed position substan-' tially parallel with said faces, clamping rails mounted upon the holding elements and shiftable transversely thereof, the rails engaging with the cleaning element when theholding elements are shifted to the rear position, and means to hold the holding elements in the closed position.

'7. A cleaning device comprising a head having f oppositely arranged faces and a forward projec- "tion provided with oppositely arranged curved surfaces, a hollow cylindrical core provided with opposite longitudinal edge portions and disposed forwardly of the head and having said edge portions attached tothe curved surfaces, a cleaning element mounted upon the core and having its ends disposed to engage with the opposite I faces of the head, holding elements disposed upon opposite sides of the head and having their for- ,ward ends pivotally connected with the head ,near the forward end of the head and having parts to engage with the cleaning element and force the same toward the opposite faces of the head when the holding elements are. swung rearoppositely arrangedfaces and a forward projection provided with oppositely arranged'sides, a hollow cylindrical core provided with longitudinal edge portions and disposed forwardly of the head and having said edge portions attached to the sides, a cleaning element mounted uponthe core and having its ends disposed to engage with the' opposite faces-of the head; holding elements disposed upon opposite sides of the head and having their forward ends pivotally connected with the head near the forward end of the head,

clamping rails mounted upon the. holding elements and adjustable transversely thereof and adapted to engage with the ends of the cleaning element and force the same against the opposite faces of the head when the holding elements are swung rearwardly to a position substantially parallel with the faces of the head, and means to secure the holding elements in the rear position.

9. A cleaning device comprising a head having oppositely arranged side faces and a forward face, said forward face beingprovided with a groove, a resilient hollow core disposedlforwardly of the head and having rear edge portions secured to the side faces and also having supported means cleaning element mounted upon the core, and

meansto retain the cleaning element upon the core. v

10. A cleaning device comprising a head having'a forward face provided with a groove, a resilient hollow core disposed forwardly of the head and attached to the head and also having supporting means arranged therein and held within the groove, a cleaning element mounted upon the core, and means to retain the cleaning WILLIAM s. JOHNSON. 

